Troy University Athletics
Sunday, May 5
Troy, Ala.
1 p.m.
Troy University
34-15, 16-8
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Louisiana
34-15, 18-6
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Louisiana
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14
19
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Troy
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6
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13
13
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Extra Inning Rally Comes Up Short in Troy Baseball – No. 18 Louisiana Series Finale
5/5/2024 6:02:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. – A six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth off a Will Butcher grand slam Sunday afternoon secured extra innings at Riddle-Pace Field. But fate sided against Troy in the 10th, 14-13, in the series finale against No. 18 Louisiana.
Troy (34-15, 16-8 SBC) found itself down six entering the bottom of the ninth after a double by Louisiana's (34-15, 18-6 SBC) Caleb Stelly down the third base line – advanced to third on a wild pitch – and Bryan Broussard earned a full count walk. Broussard got Troy's defense active, getting into a pickle to allow Stelly to steal home, 12-6.
Kyle Mock got HBP, Aidan Gilroy earned a 4-1 walk and Peyton Watts also got HBP to load the bases with one out. Kole Myers grabbed both of his RBIs down 0-2 in the count, singling through the right side, 12-8. Then, Shane Lewis earned a 4-1 walk to reload the bases, and Will Butcher was clutch. Down 0-1 in the count, No. 15 sent a 442-foot grand slam over the center field wall to tie the game, 12-12, and send it to extra innings – second homer of the game.
Conor Higgs refused to give up the victory, sending the solo shot to right center to retake the 13-12 lead in the top of the 10th. Then, Louisiana tacked the needed insurance run when Kyle DeBarge doubled to right field, and John Taylor followed suit with an RBI double to the same spot, 14-12.
More heroics seemed to be coming after Watts earned a 4-0 walk, and Lewis doubled to right center to advance Watts to third. A throwing error by Louisiana gave Watts a free pass home, 14-13, with Lewis still on second – Butcher intentionally walked to put runners on first and second. Mikey Bello stepped up the plate with two outs on the board and contacted his first pitch. Unfortunately, it didn't have the distance as the Trojans' rally came up short, 14-13.
The Build Up
The first two innings went to the Trojans, and Ethan Kavanagh earned the first hit for Troy with a 0-1 single to center field in the first. Butcher grabbed his 63rd RBI of 2024, 1-0, with a double down the third base line on a 2-2 count, scoring Kavanagh. The second inning saw Mock continue his impressive weekend with an 0-2 double down the first base line before Gilroy singled to bring him home, 2-0.
Louisiana matched in the third and fourth, with Luke Yuhasz earning a full-count walk before Trey LaFleur took a 1-2 double to right center to score Yuhasz, 2-1. The runs continued into the fourth when Taylor took his first pitch to right field for a solo shot, 2-2. Back-to-back doubles came from Duncan Pastore and Stelly, but Pastore got caught trying to push home for the out – Stelly advanced to third on the pickle. All Lee Amedee needed was a 2-2 tap down the left field line to score Stelly, 3-2, on the sac fly.
LaFleur expanded the Ragin' Cajuns' advantage in the fifth after Jose Torress singled to left center, shooting a 2-run bomb to center field, 5-2.
Troy trickled back in through the bottom of the fifth and sixth when Gilroy earned the full count walk, Ben Arnett extended his career-long hit streak to 10 on a single through the right side, and Watts advanced both on a ground out. A balk with Kole Myers at-bat scored Gilroy, 5-3.
Despite going down with two outs early in the sixth, Tremayne Cobb Jr. broke through with a 1-0 single to the shortstop and advanced on a wild pitch. A nine-pitch battle ensued with Mock at the plate before finding the gap in right-center to score No. 3, 5-4.
Homer No. 3 for Louisiana stalled the comeback for Troy after Torress got a 1-2 double to right field, and Higgs was HBP to put two runners on. DeBarge saw his pitch up 3-1 in the count and took it to left field for a 3-run home run, 8-4. Louisiana wasn't done as Taylor and Pastore singled to center and right, respectively, before Stelly was HBP to load the bases – Amedee brought two in, 10-4, on a 1-2 single through the left side.
Inning No. 8 saw Louisiana tack one more when LaFleur doubled to right field on a 1-0 count before Higgs singled through the left side to score No. 14, 11-4. But Butcher set the stage for the ninth inning when he rocketed a 2-run homer, 11-6, to left field on a full count – Myers earned a 4-0 walk two batters before.
Head Coach Skylar Meade
"It was an incredible battle out here today. A lot of teams would've let it end there in the ninth, but numerous guys contributed to get the bat to Will Butcher, who hits a grand slam. We just grinded, but it wasn't meant to be. Louisiana is such a good team because the program answered from the last two and did it in the 10th. As a pitching guy, I hate that we gave up double-digit runs. We have to be better at that. But, man, tremendous fight from every single person in that dugout and each fan in those stands. While a loss stings, it will serve us going forward.
Up Next
Troy leaves the SBC schedule for a nonconference matchup with SEC in-state foe Alabama on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Riddle-Pace Field.
Series Numbers
• Bryan and Arnett continue to expand their career-long hit streak with 17 and 10, respectively.
• Despite the loss, the Trojans still captured their fifth straight SBC series victory with wins over Arkansas State, App State, Georgia State, then ranked No. 12 Coastal Carolina and No. 18 Louisiana – record is 12-3 in that span.
• The loss in the series finale marks just the second of 2024 and 15th in Meade's tenure – recorded at 10-2 and 23-15, respectively.
• For the first time since Kyle Mock on April 14, 2024, at App State, Will Butcher drilled two home runs in a game – hit three at Indiana on March 9.
• Troy had eight straight batters reach in its six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, marking the first time since March 4, 2018, against Tennessee Tech.
Troy (34-15, 16-8 SBC) found itself down six entering the bottom of the ninth after a double by Louisiana's (34-15, 18-6 SBC) Caleb Stelly down the third base line – advanced to third on a wild pitch – and Bryan Broussard earned a full count walk. Broussard got Troy's defense active, getting into a pickle to allow Stelly to steal home, 12-6.
Kyle Mock got HBP, Aidan Gilroy earned a 4-1 walk and Peyton Watts also got HBP to load the bases with one out. Kole Myers grabbed both of his RBIs down 0-2 in the count, singling through the right side, 12-8. Then, Shane Lewis earned a 4-1 walk to reload the bases, and Will Butcher was clutch. Down 0-1 in the count, No. 15 sent a 442-foot grand slam over the center field wall to tie the game, 12-12, and send it to extra innings – second homer of the game.
Conor Higgs refused to give up the victory, sending the solo shot to right center to retake the 13-12 lead in the top of the 10th. Then, Louisiana tacked the needed insurance run when Kyle DeBarge doubled to right field, and John Taylor followed suit with an RBI double to the same spot, 14-12.
More heroics seemed to be coming after Watts earned a 4-0 walk, and Lewis doubled to right center to advance Watts to third. A throwing error by Louisiana gave Watts a free pass home, 14-13, with Lewis still on second – Butcher intentionally walked to put runners on first and second. Mikey Bello stepped up the plate with two outs on the board and contacted his first pitch. Unfortunately, it didn't have the distance as the Trojans' rally came up short, 14-13.
The Build Up
The first two innings went to the Trojans, and Ethan Kavanagh earned the first hit for Troy with a 0-1 single to center field in the first. Butcher grabbed his 63rd RBI of 2024, 1-0, with a double down the third base line on a 2-2 count, scoring Kavanagh. The second inning saw Mock continue his impressive weekend with an 0-2 double down the first base line before Gilroy singled to bring him home, 2-0.
Louisiana matched in the third and fourth, with Luke Yuhasz earning a full-count walk before Trey LaFleur took a 1-2 double to right center to score Yuhasz, 2-1. The runs continued into the fourth when Taylor took his first pitch to right field for a solo shot, 2-2. Back-to-back doubles came from Duncan Pastore and Stelly, but Pastore got caught trying to push home for the out – Stelly advanced to third on the pickle. All Lee Amedee needed was a 2-2 tap down the left field line to score Stelly, 3-2, on the sac fly.
LaFleur expanded the Ragin' Cajuns' advantage in the fifth after Jose Torress singled to left center, shooting a 2-run bomb to center field, 5-2.
Troy trickled back in through the bottom of the fifth and sixth when Gilroy earned the full count walk, Ben Arnett extended his career-long hit streak to 10 on a single through the right side, and Watts advanced both on a ground out. A balk with Kole Myers at-bat scored Gilroy, 5-3.
Despite going down with two outs early in the sixth, Tremayne Cobb Jr. broke through with a 1-0 single to the shortstop and advanced on a wild pitch. A nine-pitch battle ensued with Mock at the plate before finding the gap in right-center to score No. 3, 5-4.
Homer No. 3 for Louisiana stalled the comeback for Troy after Torress got a 1-2 double to right field, and Higgs was HBP to put two runners on. DeBarge saw his pitch up 3-1 in the count and took it to left field for a 3-run home run, 8-4. Louisiana wasn't done as Taylor and Pastore singled to center and right, respectively, before Stelly was HBP to load the bases – Amedee brought two in, 10-4, on a 1-2 single through the left side.
Inning No. 8 saw Louisiana tack one more when LaFleur doubled to right field on a 1-0 count before Higgs singled through the left side to score No. 14, 11-4. But Butcher set the stage for the ninth inning when he rocketed a 2-run homer, 11-6, to left field on a full count – Myers earned a 4-0 walk two batters before.
Head Coach Skylar Meade
"It was an incredible battle out here today. A lot of teams would've let it end there in the ninth, but numerous guys contributed to get the bat to Will Butcher, who hits a grand slam. We just grinded, but it wasn't meant to be. Louisiana is such a good team because the program answered from the last two and did it in the 10th. As a pitching guy, I hate that we gave up double-digit runs. We have to be better at that. But, man, tremendous fight from every single person in that dugout and each fan in those stands. While a loss stings, it will serve us going forward.
Up Next
Troy leaves the SBC schedule for a nonconference matchup with SEC in-state foe Alabama on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Riddle-Pace Field.
Series Numbers
• Bryan and Arnett continue to expand their career-long hit streak with 17 and 10, respectively.
• Despite the loss, the Trojans still captured their fifth straight SBC series victory with wins over Arkansas State, App State, Georgia State, then ranked No. 12 Coastal Carolina and No. 18 Louisiana – record is 12-3 in that span.
• The loss in the series finale marks just the second of 2024 and 15th in Meade's tenure – recorded at 10-2 and 23-15, respectively.
• For the first time since Kyle Mock on April 14, 2024, at App State, Will Butcher drilled two home runs in a game – hit three at Indiana on March 9.
• Troy had eight straight batters reach in its six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, marking the first time since March 4, 2018, against Tennessee Tech.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: David Christie (2-0)
L: Hartzog, Clete (7-3)
Batting:
2B: Trey LaFleur 2 ; Kyle DeBarge 1 ; John Taylor 1 ; Duncan Pastore 1 ; Caleb Stelly 2 ; Jose Torres 1
HR: Trey LaFleur 1 ; Conor Higgs 1 ; Kyle DeBarge 1 ; John Taylor 1
RBI: Trey LaFleur 3 ; Conor Higgs 2 ; Kyle DeBarge 3 ; John Taylor 2 ; Lee Amedee 3
SF: Lee Amedee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trey LaFleur 2 ; Conor Higgs 2 ; Kyle DeBarge 2 ; John Taylor 2 ; Duncan Pastore 1 ; Caleb Stelly 2 ; Luke Yuhasz 1 ; Jose Torres 2
SB: Caleb Stelly 1
CS: Jr Bryan Broussard 1
HBP: Conor Higgs 1 ; Caleb Stelly 1
Batting:
2B: Lewis, Shane 1 ; Butcher, Will 1 ; Mock, Kyle 1
HR: Butcher, Will 2
RBI: Myers, Kole 2 ; Butcher, Will 7 ; Mock, Kyle 1 ; Gilroy, Aidan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Myers, Kole 2 ; Kavanagh, Ethan 1 ; Lewis, Shane 1 ; Butcher, Will 2 ; Cobb Jr., Tremayne 1 ; Mock, Kyle 1 ; Mercer, Matt 1 ; Gilroy, Aidan 2 ; Watts, Peyton 2
CS: Mock, Kyle 1
HBP: Mock, Kyle 1 ; Watts, Peyton 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
7
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
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OF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
INF
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